


Just a Dash of Nutmeg

by xryuzaki



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Anal Sex, Animal Traits, Barebacking, Breeding Kink, Come Inflation, Come Marking, Come as Lube, Dirty Talk, Doggy Style, Excess Come, First Dates, Fluff and Smut, Kemonomimi, Large Cock, Light Dom/sub, Lust at First Sight, M/M, Missionary Position, Multiple Orgasms, Outdoor Sex, Praise Kink, Rimming, Romantic Fluff, Rough Sex, Size Kink, Wolf Instincts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:06:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27787210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xryuzaki/pseuds/xryuzaki
Summary: Kurapika ventures into the forest to deliver some of his mother's fresh baked cookies to a family friend. Along the way, he meets a wolf.
Relationships: Kurapika/Leorio Paladiknight
Comments: 23
Kudos: 239





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a completely self-indulgent something I've been wanting to write for a while now. A couple of friends have been cheering me on and beta reading since we have similar sensibilities. I deliberately left it open ended in case I ever wanted to add more, since I'm still itching with ideas that need scratching.

The cool breeze was brisk, yet pleasant. Kurapika adjusted his bright red hood and shrugged off the feeling of goosebumps that would attempt to prickle pale skin exposed by his tan breeches. Dry leaves crunched beneath his leather riding boots. The aforementioned gentle wind would carry the earthy, sweet scent of the underbrush and tickle his nose… ah, truly, it was autumn.

And autumn meant cookies.

His mother’s homemade gingersnap cookies, to be precise.

The young man had been tasked with delivering a batch to a family friend; their cottage was just on the other side of the forest. Kurapika was always happy to take any opportunity to venture out of his little village, eager to avoid daily annoyances such as chores, or a scolding from the village elder.

He found solace in the forest and swore up and down that no one knew these woods better than he did. Every twist and turn, every native plant and animal…

Which… was exactly why he decided to go off the main trail, just to make things a _little_ more interesting.

Wolves were known to wander the thickets, hiding in the overgrowth… lying in wait for their next meal. But the blonde wasn’t the least bit afraid. Kurapika chuckled, recalling the stories the elder would tell of naughty children who would be eaten. Silly tall tales meant to scare the young ones and deter them from getting into trouble.

What was a wolf, if not just another interesting detour easily subdued with a good whollup by his trusty bokken. He had gone toe-to-toe with a wide assortment of wild beasts, and this was no different.

Kurapika continued deep into the forest, going the long way around toward the cottage, basket of treats in hand. The canopy above him grew more dense as the minutes passed by, letting in less and less light through the red and brown leaves. A weak-hearted adventurer would have turned back by now, intimidated by the shadows… the fluttering corvids in the treetops… the stillness of the underwood… a lone howl echoing in the distance…

But the Kurta youth was in his element. He was hoping for an encounter. Anything to liven up this otherwise mundane errand.

Suddenly, a rustling in a nearby bush. Kurapika froze, and slowly unlatched his bokken from his hip with his free hand. It seemed as if he was about to get his wish, but… where, exactly from, he couldn’t quite discern… Yet, he could feel it in his bones.

A pair of eyes was fixed right on him. Watching him… analyzing his every minute movement…

“GRAAAAAHHH!!!!”

With a bone-chilling growl, to the right of Kurapika lept a figure from the bush.

“Gimme your-- OWW!!!”

Without even thinking, red oak met with the unsuspecting cranium of a hungry wolf. Kurapika stepped backward and warily surveyed the dazed creature. He was ready to strike once more, prepared for a second charge only… the assailant did no such thing. Instead, he whined and rubbed his head with his paws.

“What the hell’s your problem?!” the wolf shouted, “You could kill someone with that thing!”

Kurapika was beside himself. This… was one of the ruthless, child-eating wolves that he had heard so many stories about? He shook his head and instantly snapped back, “Oh? Like what you were about to do to me with those claws of your’s? I had every right to attack you! You started it!” he huffed.

“Nngghh--!! Mmmn!! Shit, ow..!” the large creature winced, still rubbing at the knot on his head pitifully. “Look, I didn’t want any trouble, all’s I wanted was whatever was in that basket,” he explained.

“The basket..?” Kurapika repeated, looking down at the whicker vessel of baked goods. He juggled the bokken in his hand so that he may free a few fingers to shift aside the checkered cloth that covered them. They had been jostled a bit, but otherwise still warm and just fine.

“You wanted _these_? Really? How can I be sure that this isn’t some clever ruse in order to get me to let my guard down for an easy meal?” Kurapika questioned. His steely, golden brown gaze practically bore holes into the crumpled heap before him. He refused to believe his motivations were that benign.

The wolf finally sat up and scoffed. “What the hell do you think I am, a wild animal? I’ve got class. Humans taste terrible, their meat’s stringy and tasteless. But the stuff you guys cook up? That’s the good stuff,” he replied with a lop-sided toothy grin.

He crawled on his paws and knees toward Kurapika. The blonde tightened his grip on his weapon, still yet skeptical. But he had to admit… there was something almost comical about this otherwise imposing wolf inching toward him, ears erect and nose sniffing the air obnoxiously.

“Ginger… cinnamon…”

Sniff… sniff sniff!

“Molasses… and nutmeg? Ah man, I love gingersnaps!” the wolf beamed. He stopped at Kurapika’s waist and stuck his face deep into the basket. His tail wagged to and fro, the longer he took in the alluring scent of the cookies the more frantically his tail swayed.

“H-Hey, stop that!” Kurapika exclaimed as he yanked the basket away from the hungry beast. He held it up above his head. “I’ve got a delivery to make. My mother would be very cross with me if she found out I gave away what was supposed to be a gift for a friend,” he said.

The wolf puffed his cheeks and plopped back onto his behind. He crossed his arms over his chest and groaned, “Oh come on, not even one or two? You’ve got a million of ‘em in there, I doubt they’d even notice they’re gone,” he attempted to bargain.

“No.”

“Come on, please?”

“No!”

“I’m starving, here!”

“You’ve got the means! Use those hulking claws and teeth of your’s to hunt!” Kurapika argued, trying his utmost to stand his ground.

“But it’s autumn! And autumn means cookies! We wolves like to get into the holiday spirit too!” the wolf replied. He pursed his lips and furrowed his brow in a lousy attempt at puppy dog eyes. Reaching out a paw toward Kurapika’s breeches, he tugged on the fabric and let out a low, pathetic whimper. Ears lowered and tail tucked in at his side, he continued to press the young man in the red riding hood. “Please..? Just one or two..?”

Kurapika rolled his eyes and released a defeated sigh. “... Just… a couple, right? You promise? And then you’ll leave me alone?” he asked with a cant of his head.

“Yeah! Promise!” the wolf assured him with a spirited nod.

“Okay, but should you try anything funny, I won’t hesitate to hit you again,” the blonde agreed, and lowered his arm so as to reach into the basket for a couple of cookies.

\-----

Kurapika sat a couple of feet away from the wolf. As he happily, yet surprisingly slowly, nibbled on the sweets, he was finally able to take in the sight of him. Less a wolf in the traditional sense and more a man, he was slightly tanned and incredibly tall, with broad shoulders and long legs. His hair was short and deep brown, nearly black, and spiked upward with the natural vertical swoop of his large ears. His sideburns were scruffy and overgrown, stopping just short of his jawline and framing his long, squared off face.

Kurapika couldn’t help but to note the tea shade sunglasses that the wolf wore… why would he ever choose to accessorize that way? Did he really have sensitive eyes, or did it all tie back to that sense of “class” that he purported to have. How funny.

Perhaps even funnier was his choice of dress. An off white collared shirt rolled up at his elbows and a merlot shaded waistcoat, accentuated by a white cravat. Pressed tan pants stopped at his ankles, growing a bit lost in his massive furry feet.

He was almost… handsome, Kurapika would admit. Who knew that wolves also liked to dress up. Or… was this too a part of a grander scheme? After all, they were famed for their tenacity and wit. He couldn’t be sure, but regardless… he was pleasantly surprised.

“... How do you like them?” Kurapika finally spoke up.

“They’re great!” the wolf responded, “I almost don’t even wanna finish ‘em… my compliments to the chef!” he smiled.

The smaller male chuckled under his breath. “I’ll be sure to let my mother know,” he hummed.

The wolf took another tiny nibble from his gingersnap, “So you’re from that little village to the east, right? Kurta?” he piped up, initiating some small talk. “It’s not often I see you guys venture this far into the forest. Usually you like to keep to the beaten path.”

Kurapika mused, reaching a hand into the basket beside him to sneak a cookie for himself. “I’ve been known to be a little bit unusual.”

“I’ll say, you’re probably the first human to ever fight back. Normally you guys just make with the food and scram. Can’t say I like havin’ to work so hard but… ah well!” the other laughed.

“Hey.”

“Hm..?”

“What’s your name?”

“... Kurapika.”

“Kurapika…” the wolf muttered, as if tasting the word on his tongue, “Kurapika… you Kurta sure have some weird names.”

Kurapika bristled and leaned forward with a knit brow. “Oh yeah? Then what’s your name, mister wolf? That is, if you even have a name.”

“Leorio! My name’s Leorio!” the wolf said proudly.

“Reolio?” Kurapika deliberately mispronounced.

“Lay-oh-ree-oh!!” he enunciated with a wave of his paw for emphasis. “Leorio! Leorio!” he would continue to howl. “Leoriooooo!!!”

“Alright, alright, I was just giving you a hard time. Calm yourself,” Kurapika winced. “Your name is really rather… different as well. But…”

“But?”

“... I think… I like it. _Maybe_.” Kurapika hurriedly, a little nervously, shoved the rest of the gingersnap into his mouth and averted his cat-eyed gaze.

“Heheheh ~” Leorio smirked, throwing the last gingersnap crumb into his own maw and smacking his lips. “Thanks… ... _maybe_ I kinda like yours too, just a little.”

The youth from Kurta stowed away his bokken back onto his hip and reached to grab the basket. “Right, well…” he muttered, taking to his feet and dusting himself off of debris, “I should get going. If I don’t deliver these and get back home soon, then my mother will worry.”

Leorio frowned… he didn’t want to admit it, but he was enjoying the company of the little human a lot more than he had anticipated. He tilted his head, “Ya’ sure you gotta go so soon? If it’s a shortcut through the woods you need I know a couple of ways,” he said as he made a sweeping gesture with one of his paws. “Come on, stay a while ‘n take a load off!”

Kurapika’s eyes widened. This was an unexpected turn of events. “But… the gingersnaps will get cold…” he mumbled, a weak excuse...

“In this air they were gonna get cold anyway! What, you thought a little piece of cloth was gonna be enough to keep ‘em warm?”

“And besides.. If cold cookies aren’t any good to anyone… you could always just give ‘em to me! I’ll eat them no matter what!” Leorio joked with a wag of his big fluffy tail. “Nothing goes to waste as long as I’m around ~”

Kurapika laughed a little louder than he intended, sat back down perhaps a little more quickly than he meant to. Deep down, he was looking for an excuse to stay. After all… this could be his only chance to observe a wolf up close and live to tell the tale. “Are you sure? Don’t you have a pack to get back home to yourself? I thought I heard a howl before--”

“That was me!” Leorio chimed in with a paw to his chest, “I’m the one who howled, had to let anyone else who might’ve been in the area know that you were _my_ prey!” he boasted. “I’ve got no pack to answer to; I’m a lone wolf, so that means I gotta really puff out my chest if I wanna keep moochers away.”

“ _Your_ prey…”

“... Well… your basket was my target but that’s just semantics.”

There was a pause...

Kurapika idly rolled a dry leaf between his fingers; he had read about lone wolves but was rather astonished to find that someone like Leorio would venture alone. Surely someone as large and imposing as him would be able to lead a pack of his own with relative ease. The longer he pondered over it, the more questions he had.

“Why are you alone?” Kurapika asked, “Were you unable to beat out the alpha? So you left your old pack?”

Leorio raised an unkempt eyebrow, “Huh? What do you mean ‘beat out the alpha’?” he immediately inquired in return.

Now it was Kurapika’s turn to quirk a brow in confusion. Was he missing something? “You know, alphas and betas? Defeating the alpha and taking over the pack? Did you lose?”

The wolf threw his head back and guffawed, giving the Kurta a great shock. He puffed out his cheeks and balled his fists, he hated being laughed at. His cheeks were alight with a bright pink, “W-What’s so funny? Why are you laughing at me?” he stammered.

“Hahaha!! Hahaha! Ha! Haha… haa…. Wooo…. You humans still believe that outdated crap?” Leorio snickered, wiping away a few stray tears from his eyes with a clawed digit. “No, I didn’t lose out to some alpha, I left because it was time to go. Don’t you humans do the same thing? When you get old enough you wanna leave home and set out on your own?”

“Yes, but… I… don’t understand…” Kurapika murmured, hands now brought to his lap and wringing the fabric of his breeches. “I’ve read all about wolves in my books…”

“Look, we’ve got alphas, but not in the way that you’re thinking. Alphas are just what we call our moms and dads,” Leorio explained nonchalantly. He gazed upward at the trees above, eyes tracing patterns in the gaps between the leaves as he spoke. “Alphas are the parents, betas are just the kids. And when kids get old enough, we all eventually leave and form packs of our own,” he continued on.

“So I mean… I’m not an alpha yet, but soon!” Leorio concluded.

“I see…” the other nodded. He was given plenty of food for thought. Kurapika then determined that he had made the right choice in deciding to stay, for all of this information was absolutely intriguing. The books he read made wolves seem like creatures in a constant vy for dominance, but Leorio himself claimed just the opposite.

If anything, they were more alike than once previously believed. Leaving the nest in order to make your own way, start your own family… It was a humble little dream.

“Heh, have you had any luck? Or have you just been wasting your days away robbing passerbys of their food?” he then asked, a cheeky little smile dancing upon his lips.

Leorio pursed his lips and snorted. “I’ll have you know I’m really popular with the ladies!” he insisted, ears flattening and clearly telegraphing his disdain toward such a ridiculous question. “I get so much tail my head’s practically spinning!”

Kurapika brought a dainty hand to his mouth in an effort to stifle a laugh. “Is that so? Then where’s your mate?” he continued to goad. Was this bullying? No… just a little bit of ribbing between guys.

The wolf growled and whinged. He balled his furry fists and shook his head vigorously. “I just have a type, okay?! Getting laid is easy but finding _the one_ is different!” he shouted, then pointed a claw at Kurapika, thus placing the spotlight on him instead. “So what if I’m still a bachelor?! What about you, huh? You’re still livin’ at home with mommy ‘n daddy!”

Kurapika wouldn’t be taken aback so easily. He propped his hands on his hips and turned up his nose to Leorio. “And that’s my choice,” he replied. “I’ll leave my village when I’m good and ready. ~”

“Che…” the wolf grunted.

“Hmph…” the Kurta huffed.

They remained that way for a little while, quiet and indignant. Though the longer the awkward silence hung in the air, the sooner Kurapika realized that he may have gone a bit too far. Leorio sat hunched over, eyes narrow and tail swishing back and forth in an irritable, erratic pattern. Eventually he relented and slacked his shoulders.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized softly. “I was out of line.”

Leorio sighed and waved a paw dismissively. “Whatever, whatever.”

“... … So… what is your type..?”

“What?”

“Your ideal mate… what’s your type?” Kurapika clarified.

Leorio leaned his head to one shoulder. His ears tweaked and twitched as he murmured to himself and thought aloud. “Well… … I’m into blondes, for starters. And I like ‘em cute and small.”

He must have realized that his last statement might have sounded strange, so he quickly held up his paws and clarified, “Not _weak_ , since my mate’s gotta be able to keep up and help take care of the pack. I just… I dunno’, I guess as a big guy I like the idea of wrapping my arms around someone, holding them tight… that engulfing, warm feeling. You know what I mean? You get what I mean, right?” he entreated.

His choice of words were clumsy, but Kurapika could understand what he was trying to convey. Leorio seemed less and less like a scary monster out of a fairytale and more like just a big, somewhat dopey man with an equally big heart…

“Mmn… I understand,” he assured him with a soft smile.

“That sounds wonderful.”

Leorio grinned sheepishly and gently wrung his tail in his paws.

The Kurta shut his eyes and found himself mulling over the other’s words, imagining what it would be like to be held tenderly in someone’s arms like that. So cozy… so safe… it was enough to make his heart begin to flutter, not unlike when he’d curl up with a good romance novel back home, lost for hours in passionate prose.

To be whisked away and loved unconditionally for all that you are… yes… what a humble dream, the wolf had. … Perhaps he too shared the same dream, deep down.

Kurapika bit his lip and shifted a little in his seated position. He still had yet to open his eyes. “What would you do if you thought you had met the one...?” he practically whispered, but his words didn’t go unnoticed by Leorio’s keen sense of hearing.

His eyes slowly fluttered open at last, only to be met face to face with the wolf. Mere centimeters away, he caught his breath, brown eyes now wide as dinner plates and cheeks as bright as his red hood.

Leorio brought a large, warm paw to cup Kurapika’s cheek. He rested his forehead against the other’s, eliciting a startled gasp. “I wouldn’t be stupid enough to just let them walk away, for starters,” he answered, tone of voice low and husky…

Kurapika’s stomach would work itself into knots. His entire world began to spin. He had gone off the trail in hopes of finding adventure and had gotten so much more than he had anticipated. His body was urging him to run, to escape… yet his heart, his audacious, perfervid spirit, longed for the touch of this wayward stranger.

This fascinating creature.

He swallowed hard and exhaled a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Kurapika searched for something, anything to say, but all he could compel himself to utter was, “Oh..?” It was the first time since they had met that he had been rendered speechless.

The golden brown of his eyes began to flicker with the slightest sparkle of scarlet.

He sawed his thumbs anxiously across his index fingers. Kurapika didn’t know what to do with his hands. “Then what..?” he finally spoke, the tip of his nose nuzzling just slightly against the upturned nose of the other. A subtle action spurring for more of whatever it was Leorio had in mind for him.

“I’d lay my heart out… I’d tell them something like… ‘I’ve never met anyone like you before’ or ‘you’re one in a million’... kinda cheesy though, huh?” he chuckled timidly.

Kurapika smiled, tentatively snaking his hands upward along Leorio’s chest and loosely wrapping his arms around his neck, bringing him in dangerously close. The wolf’s mouth hung a bit slack, telegraphing that he wasn’t as confident as he had let on. “Maybe so... but you may find that some people are into that sort of thing,” he teased, grazing his lips against Leorio’s.

Meeting him halfway.

“Kurapika…”

In a flash their lips locked, hot breath crashing into each other’s mouths and filling each other’s lungs. Leorio didn’t waste a single second and seized the opportunity to wrap his arms tight around the lithe human, deepening their electric kiss.

Kurapika felt it instantly, that all encompassing warmth that Leorio had tried to describe before. He felt as if he could melt away in his embrace.

It truly began to feel as if the world itself was fading away around them. Nothing else mattered but this chance encounter. Kurapika couldn’t believe what he had gotten himself into. To thoughtlessly fling himself into a torrid affair with a wolf… it was unthinkable, but most of all, it was exhilarating.

“Mmn… ~” the blonde moaned. He took a fistful of the larger man’s locks between his fingers and begged for entry with his tongue. Hearing him loud and clear, Leorio slipped his starving tongue into the other’s mouth, mingling, dancing, swapping each other’s essence on their taste buds.

Leorio had never tasted anything more sweet in all his days. “Oh, god…” he groaned, continuing his assault. His tongue would crash against the roof of Kurapika’s mouth; their teeth clumsily clacked together as they searched and probed every last inch of one another.

Finally, they broke their kiss after what felt like an eternity. Their panting cut through the silence of the forest.

“Haa… haa…” Kurapika gasped, shuffling his legs beneath Leorio in a bid to try and stave off his stomach from flip-flopping any further. Between that and his racing heartbeat it was almost too much to handle. Exposed knees brushed carelessly against the wolf’s thighs. 

“That was a little sloppy… are you sure you’re as experienced as you say?” Kurapika tittered.

Leorio licked his lips, “That’s just what we call ‘passion’, sunshine. You ain’t seen nothing yet.”

“Aha, I think I’ve already seen plenty,” he quipped, firmly palming the ever-growing bulge in his pants. Kurapika may have consented to some spontaneous fun, but there was no way in hell he’d let Leorio be the only one to control their pace.

“That was fast… you’re so hard…” he cooed into one of his big, fluffy ears.

Leorio reflexively flicked his ear a few times and sucked in a breath. The human’s brazen rubbing sent shivers down his spine and pressure rushing to his loins.

“Hgggh… --”

“Now who’s cute ~”

Leorio shut his eyes tight and held onto Kurapika even tighter. Even kneading circles into his hardening member felt incredible. He rocked his hips into his hand, “Ugh…”

With each gentle thrust against his palm the Kurta could discern without a doubt that Leorio was absolutely massive. Even beneath layers of fabric he could feel a mouth-watering, pulsating heat just begging to be set free and buried deep into something searing and tight.

“Careful Mister Wolf…” Kurapika crooned, “You promised that I hadn’t seen anything yet.”

His words must’ve brought Leorio back down to earth, because his eyes opened then and there and stared him down with a new, fiery conviction. Kurapika blinked cluelessly, curiously. The rate at which he rubbed him down slowed considerably as he awaited an answer.

“Get on your knees and bend over,” Leorio ordered.

Kurapika sighed and gingerly pulled his hand away.

“And take off those pants before you do,” he quickly added.

“Alright, alright,” Kurapika retorted, pushing Leorio away by his chest with both hands.

He scooted away on his behind with his boot heels. Slipping his thumbs underneath his suspenders, he shrugged them off of his shoulders. With enough slack, he proceeded to then hook his thumbs beneath the waistband of his breeches and slowly, slowly push them down to his knees.

Kurapika may have exuded a collected air, but in removing the garment just so, he revealed to Leorio that he was also more aroused than he had let on. Their ardent duel of tongues had left his own manhood stood at half-mast and leaking just the tiniest dewdrop of pre-cum. The wolf snorted through his nose, appetite thoroughly whet; he could hardly wait to make that pretty cock stand firmly on end.

With a calculated sashay of his hips, Kurapika turned around and bent over onto his knees. He rested his head along his forearms clothed in billowy off-white cotton, just as he was told. His eyes then blazed a somewhat brighter shade of crimson as he eagerly awaited whatever Leorio had plotted. Tempting the beast, he turned his head just enough lock glances and smirked softly, swaying his exposed ass.

“Well, then..?”

Leorio crawled toward Kurapika and grabbed hold of his smooth and creamy hips with his massive paws, careful not to dig his claws into tender flesh. Though the smaller male was still mostly clothed, he could see plain as day that despite his small stature, his figure was coltish and well-trained. By the sight of his thighs alone he knew pale skin was stretched taut over lean muscle. Yet, each minute curve of his body was still feathered so delicately… the wolf had never met another person, much less a man, so equal parts beautiful… handsome… cute…

Kurapika flinched under his grip, but settled in easily. “Do you like what you see?” he asked.

“Yeah… looks so good I think I might try another taste of ya’, if you don’t mind.”

Leorio parted Kurapika’s cheeks further, exposing his pink, puckered hole. The little human beneath him gasped under his breath and wriggled a bit. “L-Leorio--!” he called out in shock, but not in protest.

Without warning he slowly ran the flat of his tongue along Kurapika’s entrance. “A-Ah--!!!!” he squeaked.

Ah… what a delectable taste, Leorio thought. Kurapika’s natural musk was perhaps the sweetest flavor of all, a luscious ambrosia that he was aching to internalize forever. He lapped his greedy tongue across his prey, no… his _mate_ , over and over, drenching him in saliva. Every hungry movement extracted one satisfied sigh after another.

Kurapika’s mouth hung agape; the sound of his quickening breathing rang like an invigorating anthem in Leorio’s ears. Every stimulating pass over his asshole sent a spark rocketing to his cock and a shiver down his spine; before he knew it he was thoroughly, unabashedly turned on and dying for more.

“Leorio… don’t stop,” he commanded, spreading his legs out further and lifting his ass higher for better access to his most sensitive depths.

“As if you need to tell me twice,” he growled before plunging his tongue past Kurapika’s muscular ring.

“Ohh… yes… ~” Kurapika moaned, shifting backward and sandwiching Leorio’s scruffy face between his cheeks.

Leorio pressed on like this for several moments, allowing him ample time to both savor the human and prepare him for the feverish breeding of a lifetime. He removed his tongue from his hole with a soft, lewd ‘pop’ and hastily worked to free himself from the confines of his now uncomfortably tight pants. Leorio was practically scraping his zipper; he could hardly stand it any longer.

Kurapika meanwhile released a disapproving whine. The blonde was so woefully empty. He was about to shoot an expectant glare back at Leorio but was met with the heart-stopping, mouth-watering sight of Leorio’s dick springing free from its prison.

It was almost hypnotizing the way it twitched and bobbed… pre-cum dripped and dribbled freely down the shaft and onto the forest floor beneath them. In that moment, Kurapika swallowed hard… all he could think about was how delicious it must have tasted… how hot it would feel in his hands... most of all, how good it would feel deep inside of him.

He didn’t have to say a word. The look on his face said it all. Leorio’s lips curled into a haughty, self-satisfied smirk.

“Like whatcha see?” he said, taking a page from Kurapika’s book.

“... It’s… …”

He bit his lip.

“You’re huge…” he replied in a whisper. He knew it to be so when he was rubbing him prior, but to glance it over in its raw, most potent state, was more than he could have ever imagined.

“Think you can handle it?”

“Hah. I think I’ve got no choice,” Kurapika grinned devilishly.

“Good answer.”

Leorio took Kurapika’s hips back into his grip and shifted forward on his knees, readying himself against the other. The curve of his cock slipped between Kurapika’s cheeks, flared crown dipping past his playfully winking entrance and coaxing an enlivened exhale. “Aah… Leorio… ~” Kurapika moaned in anticipation.

“Save the name calling for the finale, honey,” he replied, “The whole damn forest’s gonna know my name by the time I’m done with you.”

Kurapika wasn’t given a chance to make a witty riposte. Instead he cried out and balled his fists. He was being pushed into and spread open, assaulted by the wolf’s scalding, unrelenting girth. “Leorio!!!!” he exclaimed.

For a split second Kurapika wondered, could he really take all of him? Could he even hope to fit inside of him at all? He grit his teeth, the sting and stretch of his asshole giving way was nearly too much. Yet… he didn’t tell him to stop. He didn’t want him to stop. Something inside of him wanted nothing more than to be fucked good and well.

“Mm… mmn..! Haa…!” he grunted through those gritted teeth.

“Ugh… fuck you’re so tight... “ Leorio hissed, driving inch after throbbing inch into Kurapika’s searing abyss until finally bottoming out.

He sat anchored to Kurapika and cast his eyes downward to see how he was faring.

He was trembling…

“Hey… you alright? Kurapika?” he frowned, leaning his towering frame over the other, chest pressing into his back.

“Y… Yes… I’m fine…”

“I thought I told you before… don’t stop…” Kurapika ordered. His breathing was a bit shallow, but the fire in his eyes asserted what his shuddering body could not. “... Be a good boy and fill me up!”

Oh… what fine, filthy talk. Such indecent language too came naturally to the wolf, as he was eager to show him.

Without another word, Leorio lifted himself away and refocused his attention back on the matter at hand. It was all but confirmed that Kurapika was made stronger than he appeared. All apprehension thawed away. Still wrapped snug around his fat cock, he readied himself to move.

He reared his hips back for a mighty thrust. Leorio’s trademark lop-sided grin manifested back onto his face--

“I’ll fill you up alright!” he barked.

\--and barreled into Kurapika, cleaving effortlessly into his sweet spot.

“H-Haaaanngghnn ~ !!!”

The Kurta youth practically sang upon impact, the sting of being stretched so unbelievably wide was easily ignored by the overwhelming pleasure flooding over him, enveloping him. Each and every thrust was more heavenly than the last; Kurapika couldn’t hold back moan after salacious moan. His heartbeat thumped loudly in his ears like a war drum. He shook and shuddered in Leorio’s grasp each time he crashed into his hips.

Kurapika had not once thought he could ever feel this good. Up until now, this impassioned zeal only ever seemed possible in his books.

“Yes…! Yes! Yes! M-More, Leorio!” he cried out, “You’re doing so good...!”

Like a well oiled piston, Leorio kept driving into Kurapika, burying himself deeper and deeper into his mate, etching his essence into his scalding walls to the tune of rousing praise. He had fooled around with a wide array of partners but nothing felt nearly as hot and satisfying as this particular encounter.

Leorio raised up a paw and slapped it across Kurapika’s plump ass. The smack echoed through the trees, adding to the rich, bawdy symphony of flesh colliding against flesh. “Ohh--!!” he gasped.

“Hehh… if all humans fuck as good as you I may have to chase you down next time for more than just cookies,” the wolf asserted, thundering pace unchanging and relentless, “You’d like that, wouldn’t you, Kurapika?”

“Ugghnn--!!” Kurapika moaned in reply, still so caught up in the heat he only barely puzzled out Leorio’s words. But, the very notion of being railed like this again sounded alarm bells in his sex-addled mind. He wanted it. He needed it. If Leorio was so keen on laying claim to him then he would do the same. Kurapika glanced over his shoulder and once more locked eyes with his rough and ready lover.

His eyes were half-lidded and foggy with desire, and yet Leorio had never seen a more brilliant shade of red. So bright and full of life, he could swear that he was peering into a pair of the world’s most luminous rubies.

No... these eyes shamed even the most precious jewel. Nothing on earth could hope to compare to the Kurta’s utterly resplendent eyes.

Between these, his silvery voice, the naughty squelching of his ass as he now effortlessly devoured his cock, Leorio was positively mesmerized.

“Hah… haah…” Kurapika panted, “Is that a promise? Mmnhh… If you keep doing as you’re told and stuffing me just as I like, then I may just take you up on that offer,” he replied with a mischievous smirk.

Kurapika was determined to chase that overflowing pleasure. He shifted onto his forearms to give himself some proper leverage so that he could rear himself backward into Leorio, meeting his powerful thrusts and carving him even deeper into his depths.

“Sh... _Shit_ … aghh….!!” Leorio grunted. His ears folded back as he shut his eyes to concentrate on this new, sweeping sensation. Just when he thought Kurapika couldn’t make the wolf burn any hotter for him, he continued to impose his command on the atmosphere. To his surprise he was becoming a slave to the human’s every wanton whim.

… And he liked it that way.

“Mmn… Leorio… you’re so cute… I just love the way you fuck me… ohh, my good, _good_ boy ~”

The profanity sat like sour candy on Kurapika’s tongue, unsuiting his otherwise well-mannered nature, but he noticed the profound effect it had on Leorio. He was becoming more and more unhinged by the second. If this was what it took to get a thorough pounding, then he’d be willing to develop a taste for it.

“Ughh fuck… _fuck_ , Kurapika…” Leorio helplessly whimpered, his assault becoming more and more erratic. He just couldn’t get enough of his mate’s honeyed words. He wanted more. He felt like he could burst any minute.

The wolf single-mindedly pursued his climax with unbridled enthusiasm. He hammered into Kurapika over and over, harder and deeper, scraping his prostate raw.

“Ohh…!! That's it… a-aahhhnnn…!! That’s it! Yes, yes! Just like that, Leorio! OHHH ~” Kurapika loudly squealed. His eyes threatened to roll into the back of his skull. His lovely cock bounced wildly with their frenzied rhythm. To drop all prim and proper pretenses was something of an unexpected relief. To give himself completely to this rapture was pure bliss. Nothing else existed but he, the wolf and the forest.

“Kurapika… I’m gonna--!!”

“You’re going to what..?” Kurapika playfully pressed.

“I’m gonna cum!!” Leorio quickly replied. His posture had slouched and his shoulders slacked.

“Then do it…! Hurry and fill me up..!” the blonde urged him with a demanding buck of his hips.

“Hgghh--!!!”

Leorio sucked in a breath and threw back his head, releasing a loud, guttural moan. He couldn’t restrain his iron grip any longer and claws dug into Kurapika’s delicate human flesh, locking him in place as he unleashed his exceedingly massive load.

The wolf’s cock throbbed and twitched violently as rope after rope after rope of hot, thick, gooey cum filled up every last crevice of Kurapika’s depraved ass and bred him proper. With every spurt his stomach filled up and distended with surplus seed. What felt like gallons of sloppy overflow to Kurapika oozed and leaked down the human’s quivering thighs and Leorio’s sack. The Kurta youth swore that his walls would be painted white for days, maybe even weeks. The vivid image of his insides swimming in delicious wolf spunk carried him over the edge and he too erupted, firing off velvety liquid of his own against his stomach and onto the disheveled autumn leaves beneath him.

He was left wheezing and gasping for air, face pressed into the dirt and loose strands of hair sticking to his forehead. He felt like he was on cloud nine. What could possibly feel better than this, Kurapika wondered. He paid little to no mind to the sting of claws tearing into him and continued to ride his high. The cool autumn air felt refreshing against sweat drenched skin.

Leorio gently rocked for a few minutes more into Kurapika until he was finally empty. He pulled himself out, uncorking the blonde at long last and unleashing a waterfall of excess cum onto the balmy brush. The bulge in his stomach slowly deflated with it. He admired his handiwork; his dazed mate looked well and satisfied. His gaping asshole and bloodied, claw-raked hips were a good look on him.

And yet, the wolf’s colossal cock was still rock hard and sought another round. Such a lurid sight was enough to give him a second wind. All Leorio needed to do was catch his breath and he would take Kurapika for one more ride.

But… he paused… tail anxiously curling at his side as he pondered to himself.

Could Kurapika handle it..?

He gingerly coaxed the smaller male by his waist into toppling over and rolling onto his back, careful to avoid his shallow puncture wounds. Kurapika gazed upward at him; smiling fondly he reached out a hand. He coaxed the wolf by his cheek into his soft palm and pet him affectionately.

“Did you have fun, Mister Wolf?” he asked, breath having finally evened out.

“... Yeah… could say I had the time of my life, even,” Leorio chuckled.

“I suppose that would make two of us,” Kurapika said, sliding his hand up and away from his face toward one of his ears. He scratched and rubbed it much to the other’s delight, evidenced in his wagging tail and satisfied hum.

“But… are you sure you couldn’t go for more?” Kurapika inquired with a cant of his head. “You’re still so hard… don’t think I hadn’t noticed, pervert,” he waggishly chided and rolled his eyes. He awkwardly shifted his knee as best he could with his breeches still bunched at the bend, nudging into Leorio’s incriminating manhood.

“So, what are you waiting for?”

His tone of voice was expectant. Adorably domineering, even.

Leorio blinked once… twice… three times… He was certain that the other would be spent, yet he seemed just as excited to get back down to business as he was. Those lips worked back into a grin.

Kurapika was full of surprises. He really was an… unusual human.

But… Leorio figured himself to be a little unusual, too.

A perfect match.

“Take these off then,” Leorio said, yanking at the heap of tan cloth restraining the smaller male’s knees. Just as before, Kurapika did as he was told and carefully pulled his breeches over and past his boots and tossed them by the wayside.

“Truth be told, I was a little disappointed that it was over so soon…” Kurapika feigned a pout, “What with all of your posturing, I was certain I’d be made to be yours into the afternoon at the very least.”

Another breeze kissed his stained thighs. Lower half now wholly exposed save his leather footwear, Kurapika spread his legs as wide as he could and presented to Leorio his lovingly stretched hole, the muscle still contracting and frothing with his ivory seed. Kurapika’s flaccid prick wouldn’t be soft for much longer.

“I’m relieved to know that wolves are as virile as I have read.”

Leorio positioned himself between Kurapika’s legs and took his hips back into his clawed clutches. Lining up his pulsating member with his partner’s eagerly waiting entrance, he let out an amused scoff. “Y’know, I’m starting to wonder what kinda books you’re reading about us, exactly,” he catechized with a wily simper.

“Nevermind that, they’re not nearly as exciting as the real deal,” Kurapika quipped.

“Ohoo… in that case I better not disappoint. I’ll do ya’ one better and fuck you until nightfall,” Leorio growled and shoved his cock back where it rightfully belonged with no warning. “How’s that sound?”

“Ugghnn… You had better..!” Kurapika moaned long and airy. He reflexively arched his back as he painlessly swallowed every red-hot inch of Leorio into his slick and filthy hole.

The wet and squishy melody of his girth churning his most sensitive domain was to die for. Wolf cum made for such a wonderful lubricant, and Kurapika was practically bursting at the seams with the stuff.

“Hggh… yeah, lookit that… you’re the perfect fit now…” Leorio snarled as he wasted no time ramming into him all over again; each and every breakneck thrust crashed back into his trembling weak point.

“A perfect fit for a-- … a-aaahh!! -- perfectly well behaved boy..!” Kurapika retorted between well timed gasps. He was already being worked into another frenzy. His own organ, bouncing and flopping like mad, took no time at all to stand proud and stiff like a flag pole. Taking Leorio from behind felt amazing to be sure, but to admire his handiwork with his own eyes was another experience entirely. His scarlet eyes gleamed brighter than ever before.

Kurapika watched closely as the wolf’s sinful sex racked through him; he admired the way globs of cum were both forcefully expelled around his base with a loud and lewd squelch and simultaneously planted further into his walls. He cried out with reckless abandon; his tongue hung from his mouth, tears welled at the corners of his eyes, his blushing cheeks hot and red…

“Leorio..! Leorio..! Leoriooo..!!”

His voice was tremulous and ragged. Completely consumed by lust, he didn’t have it in him to be anything but a sheath for Leorio’s cock. No cheeky words, no haughty remarks… no commands to give, only obscene moaning, name calling and heaps of praise. The wolf was now completely in charge and left to do with his body whatever he pleased.

“Mmnngghh! F… F-Fuck..! M-More! More! F-Fuck me more..!” Kurapika tried his hand at another clumsy curse. It was certainly ill-fitting but Leorio thought it nothing but cute, sexy even.

“You really love bein’ fucked, don’tcha?” he grunted.

“Yes..!”

“You’re just _made_ for big, meaty wolf cock aren’t you?”

“Yes!!”

“I’ll bet you wanted it from the start,” he groaned, “I bet you sit ‘n read those books of your’s day ‘n night, dreaming and aching to be made mine ~”

“YES!! Yes, yes, yes..!” the Kurta youth wailed, telling him exactly what he wanted to hear.

Kurapika wrapped his legs tight around Leorio’s waist. He was determined to fasten himself to his lover and keep taking him for all he had. Leorio returned the gesture in kind and continued to rock him to his core. The bulbous head of his dick impaled him over and over, every calculated strike leaving Kurapika seeing stars. “Oh… You treat me so good... ~” he sighed.

“So good… my good boy…”

“I’ll keep treatin’ you good, too..” the other replied wholeheartedly.

“Mmn ~ Leorio… you promise..?” Kurapika asked.

“I haven’t broken one yet, have I?”

Leorio revved up for one final blistering bout. The painful throb of his length being consumed by Kurapika’s hot, tight and well trained ass was nearing to be too much. He was ready for another explosive release. “I’ll screw your brains out as much as you want. I’ll pump you full of so much cum you’ll be sloshing around for days,” he swore.

“As long as you’re my mate I’m gonna mold you around my cock..!”

Leorio’s dirty talk was mind-boggling; it came to him like a second language. Kurapika couldn’t help but to get lost in it. He reveled in being the wolf’s cute little slut.

“Leorio, please...” Kurapika pleaded, he too was on the verge of achieving another orgasm. “I want all of you..!”

“Nngh… Christ… it’s so hot the way you beg for it, Kurapika… say it again…” Leorio demanded.

Kurapika mewled and whined but readily complied, anything to get what he wanted. “Mnn… Hurry up and put that big, fat dick of yours to good use..!” he went on.

“I’ll _die_ without more of your cum… ~”

By this point, Kurapika knew just what to say and how to say it in order to stir up the beast. Leorio gnarled and bared his fangs, panting and prime to deliver on his vow.

“Haaaghh… don’t worry your pretty little head sunshine, you’ll get more than your fill!” he howled and bulldozed himself through his mate one last time.

Leorio’s breath hitched. He shut his eyes tight and burst like a geyser. As if a river was channeled to explode inside of him, buckets of delectable, searing hot cum flooded deep into Kurapika’s ass. He was certain that Leorio must have released twice as much as before; surplus ejaculate blew out the edges of his swollen hole and poured in heaps down his thighs, pooling around him in honey-thick, lewd white puddles.

Kurapika gasped and moaned, absolutely captivated by the sight of his petite belly slowly swelling back up with Leorio’s mighty seed. He could swear he could feel his sperm wiggling and saturating his organs, as if he were made for this very purpose. Though fleeting, he even wondered if he could actually be impregnated with Leorio’s litter.

All of these sensations and ruminations were just too much to bear any longer, soon enough his loins also set free. Kurapika came in steady bursts, splashing onto his stomach and chest, staining his cotton button-up shirt.

“Ohhh… ohhhh Leorio...”

Leorio continued to grunt and groan, rolling himself into Kurapika until he was sure he was thoroughly packed with his payload. He eventually removed his cock, unleashing another musky waterfall onto the completely drenched underbrush.

He had gloated that he would take Kurapika into the night, but truth be told he was totally exhausted. The wolf collapsed beside the human and swept him into his long arms, cradling him in his warmth while his body shook and shuddered and gradually voided itself of fluid. He was still riding the waves of his climax.

“Kurapika… … you’re amazing…” he whispered.

“Nn…”

“You’re incredible…”

“Mmn…”

Kurapika’s vision was hazy; tired eyes slowly settled back into their original brown hue. He couldn’t help but smile, for he enjoyed being the one to receive praise for a change. To grow lost in this comforting presence… It was like a dream. He nuzzled into Leorio’s chest... content to stay there forever.

Leorio peppered the crown of Kurapika’s head in tiny butterfly kisses before burying his face into his silky golden locks. He smelled of lavender… but also, the familiar scent of his own brand. Kurapika had been unmistakably marked as his and nothing could possibly smell sweeter.

“Leorio… you’re so... warm…” the Kurta youth muttered. The image of the wolf was clouded in his lashes. Were it not for Leorio’s hearing his remark would have gone completely unnoticed; left to fade away into the rustling of trees in the cool autumn wind. Leorio chuckled and held him even tighter. His tail curled in close at his side. Their eyes were becoming heavy…

“Heh… remember what I said…? Stay awhile…” he replied under his breath.

“... …”

No answer. Kurapika had soundlessly drifted off to sleep, and Leorio soon followed.

\-----

Kurapika stirred awake to a tricksy ray of the setting sun casting itself onto his face through one of the few gaps in the canopy. He groaned and grumbled, wiping away at his eyes with a hand. He tried to focus on the scenery around him… tried to put the pieces together. A strange scent lofted in the air, a concoction of soil, sweat… salt water… and gingersnaps.

Suddenly, his eyes cracked wide open. Kurapika wrested himself from Leorio’s arms and scrambled about the underwood. The abrupt action forcibly jolted the larger male awake and set him into defense mode. He leapt to his feet, “Huh?! What?! What’s going on?!” he shouted, ears alert and claws flexed. The fur on his animal-like appendages bristled on end. “Who’s there..!!”

However, Leorio immediately calmed himself at the comedic sight of a pantsless Kurapika bumbling about on his hands and knees. He snerked and crossed his arms, “What’s gotten you all worked up?” he mused, and sat right back down.

“The-- The cookies--! Mother’s gingersnaps!!” he exclaimed, utterly frazzled as he searched for the long-forgotten basket of sweets, “I can’t believe I forgot! I still have to deliver them!”

Leorio spotted the basket in his peripheral and reached out a paw to snatch it up. He held it out to Kurapika, “Ya’ still got some sun left. You should be able to make it to the cottage and back home if you hurry,” he said.

Kurapika crawled back toward Leorio and took the vessel into his hands. He lifted up the checkered cloth to take a peek at the baked goods and sighed deeply. They were stone cold… of course.

“I’ll have to come up with a good excuse while I walk-- ah..!!”

Kurapika tried to stand up, but his legs wobbled and gave way under his weight. His quivering limbs felt like putty and refused to press onward, a symptom of the spine-tingling sex.

“Mmn...” he released a frustrated grunt as he kneeled on the ground. The leftover contents of his ass had shifted with his movements, leaking and dribbling down his cheeks and taint. Leorio exhaled through his nose, still yet amused. “Geez, I really did a number on you, eh?” he joked.

Kurapika rolled his eyes and hurriedly reached for the breeches he had discarded prior. “I’ll say, you brute,” he huffed while fishing his legs through the garment and back over his person.

Leorio wasn’t sure what to make of that tone. His ears flattened. “Hey… you gonna be okay heading out? Y’sure you don’t need me to take you there?” he asked with a frown.

The human must’ve realized that his tone was rather short. The way the otherwise huge wolf made himself look so small and pitiful by way of lowering his ears and tucking his tail between his legs... He offered Leorio a reassuring smile. “I’ll be fine. I’ll just have to take my time. If I end up having to return home in the cloak of night, then so be it,” he replied, “I’ll just say I had an unfortunate run in with a stagboar. Those thuggish beasts will charge at any little thing that moves.”

“If you’re sure,” Leorio said.

Kurapika made a second successful attempt to get back onto his feet. With his free hand, he pulled his suspenders back up and over his shoulders and adjusted his red hood. Before taking off, he looked over his shoulder. For what he presumed would be the last time, he locked glances with the wolf, intent to imprint his stormy gaze in mind

“... Thank you for showing me a good time. I learned a lot,” he affirmed curtly.

“Hey! H-Hey, wait!” Leorio called out to him.

“Hm?”

He quickly took back to his feet and bridged the gap between them in seconds. Disquieted, he wrung his clawed digits and swallowed hard, once again searching for just the right words. “Um… hey, so uh…”

Leorio rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. All he knew how to do was speak from the heart and it hadn’t failed him yet. “I know we wolves move fast, it’s just how we’re made. But…” he began, and placed his hands onto Kurapika’s shoulders, “The next time we meet… assuming there’s a next time anyway... I wanna court you proper!” he proclaimed with a nod.

Another blush blossomed on Kurapika’s cheeks. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing… he was speechless, but moved by Leorio’s earnest desire. His hesitation to leave was indiscreet, just as before. The other must have felt it in his bones.

After all, he was his mate now, wasn’t he? He felt tethered to Leorio… perhaps by fate.

Kurapika let out a giggle. They shared a mutual interest in wanting to understand one another. He had to admit, he was excited to see what the wolf’s idea on human courtship rituals was. He gently pulled Leorio down by his cravat and planted a little kiss onto his lips.

“I’m going to hold you to that, ” he answered.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurapika meets up with Leorio for their first date.

The late-morning sun trickled through the trees onto the vivid kaleidoscope carpet of autumn debris. Dew left in the early hours had yet to completely dry away, instead mixing among the soil and brush for a soft shuff and squeak beneath Kurapika boots.

The day before, Leorio had asked to meet him.

_“Make sure you’re hungry! But if you wanna bring something extra then I won’t complain, heh heh!”_

Those were the words that Leorio had imparted. He slept very little that night, eagerly anticipating their first outing. Just what did the wolf have in store for him? His imagination ran wild.

And so he stopped and waited where the path met the thick of the woods with his basket in tow, filled with a loaf of his mother’s pumpkin bread, a bottle of apple cider and a couple of mason jars. He idly adjusted the clasp of his riding hood as he braced a wayward breeze.

“Hoo…” he exhaled, shifting on his heels.

Though, he wouldn’t be left to wait for long, for a familiar towering figure bounded toward him through the thicket with a wave of his arms.

“Heeeeey! Kurapikaaaa!!! Over here!” Leorio shouted. His grin stretched from ear to ear and his tail wagged happily behind him.

“Hah, so _there_ you are,” Kurapika hummed, “I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me,” he fibbed with a cheeky grin. He couldn’t have been there for more than a handful of minutes, but he liked to jest.

“Hah! As if!” the wolf scoffed, “Not after all the work I put into this little date of our’s!” He rubbed his nose with a fuzzy digit and grinned even wider.

Leorio then abruptly took Kurapika’s free hand into his paw; it was practically dwarfed in his palm. “C’mon, let’s go!”

The blonde couldn’t help but to let out a chuckle as he was tugged along. “Alright, my goodness!” he replied, “Careful or you’ll rip my arm clean off!”. Despite his insincere protesting, the other’s enthusiasm was utterly contagious. The glass vessels in his basket gently clinked and clattered with his uneven stride while he tried to keep up with the wolf’s broad steps.

The air that lofted about Leorio was thick with confidence and yet beneath this self-assured veneer, he was simmering in his own nerves. Faced with Leorio’s back, Kurapika would never know that very same grin was quivering, or that his brow was knit tight with worry and dotted with beads of sweat.

Wolves didn’t date, at least… not in a traditionally human sense. Leorio was convinced there was no way Kurapika would just be swayed by a little bit of nuzzling, mutual grooming and some good sex. 

At the end of the day… to call him his mate was but a lofty proclamation. Empty and brazen.

And so for days he prepared well in advance before asking Kurapika to meet with him. He had only second-hand knowledge and anecdotes to work off of when it came to human courtship but he hoped and prayed that it would be worth all of his fumbling. Leorio didn’t think his heart or his ego could take it if Kurapika were unhappy.

… ...

Sniff sniff… sniff…

Oh...

A medley of fresh, alluring scents caught the breeze and offered the poor wolf some respite from his anxieties… cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and... pumpkin…?

“Hey! Is that pumpkin pie? Pumpkin bread? What didja bring?” he eagerly asked with a smack of his lips. It was almost as if he were never on tenterhooks in the first place.

“Aha, nothing escapes that nose of yours, does it?” Kurapika mused and glanced down into the basket, “It’s pumpkin bread as a matter of fact, my mother made it fresh this morning.”

“Your mom’s a mean baker, huh? Everything you’ve shared so far’s been a knock-out!” Leorio beamed with a flick of his ears.

“It isn’t just desserts, she can cook almost anything, really. ~”

Just then, a slight pause...

“By the way… I told her that I had been sharing her foodstuffs with a new friend,” the blonde then admitted sheepishly. His eyes averted downward, settling onto the underbrush. “She was happy to know that you like them so much.”

Leorio’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. He slowed his pace and peered over his shoulder.

“... Heh heh, you talk about me to your folks?” he asked.

“Erm… only a little…”

“Well gee sunshine, if you wanted to just skip ahead and introduce me to your parents why didn’t ya’ just say so?” Leorio teased, trying his utmost to ignore the thumping of his elated heartbeat in his ears. But as usual, the brutal honesty of his tail whipping to-and-fro gave him away.

Embarrassed, Kurapika puffed his bright pink cheeks. The very notion of something as serious as bringing him home was enough to make his head spin. “D-Don’t be foolish!” he huffed, “I can’t just bring a wolf home!”

“Surely the whole village would be in an uproar!”

“Yeah yeah, I know,” Leorio resigned, “I was only kidding. I promise I won’t come blowing yer’ house down or whatever it is you humans think we wolves get up to. ~”

He desperately buried away any inkling of despondency with more jokes and jabs. The taboo of their relationship wasn’t lost on him.

… … All the more reason for this date to go over well.

More than anything, Leorio wanted to be worth the time.

Worth the risk.

The change in mood was plain as day and Kurapika frowned. The way Leorio’s ears would fold as he seemed to mull over his words, or the slowing of his tail to a droopy halt. In his bout of diffidence had he spoken too rashly? The smaller male bit his lip and moved to speak up but was quickly cut off.

“Leorio, I--”

“We’re here!!”

In their exchange Kurapika seemed to lose all track of time, for when he next looked up the forest had pulled away like a theatre curtain to reveal a quaint, beautiful meadow. The tall and ruddy grass swayed in the gentle wind like an amber ocean beneath the warmth of the forenoon sun. The soothing rustling of the trees and twittering of song birds resounded throughout the landscape as if it were a private concert just for the two of them.

Nestled among the stalks within a fragrant bed of wild asters and goldenrods laid a tattered quilt blanket and what looked to be… a picnic spread?

Leorio squeezed Kurapika’s hand tenderly before finally letting him go. He rubbed the back of his neck, “So..? Whatcha think? Not bad huh?” he asked with a tentative smile.

Kurapika walked toward the blanket to take a closer look at the humble forest bounty laid out before him. Freshly-caught venison, ripped into chunks of varying sizes and skewered on twigs had been cooked and left to rest on an old chipped plate. Beside that, he scanned over another smaller plate piled high with aromatic hen-of-the-woods mushrooms and succulent blackberries. A bright woodland salad then caught his eye, composed of freshly plucked chicory, sorrel and dandelion greens. And finally, a bowl of roasted chestnuts, whose shells had been clumsily scored by Leorio’s claws…

The human placed a hand to his chest. He was touched… to think, Leorio went out of his way just for his sake.

So then… he truly was serious… wasn’t he? Rosebuds that he thought to have cast away bloomed once more from his cheeks.

“You did all of this..?” Kurapika asked.

“Sure did!” Leorio nodded, “C’mon, what’re you waiting for? Let’s dig in!” he insisted and practically ran to the blanket, plopping himself onto it with a dull thud.

Kurapika laughed through his nose and wasted no time to join him. He couldn’t hide a fond smile. Though he hadn’t known the wolf for long at all, time and time again he found himself enamored by his earnestness. Every one of Leorio’s actions was driven by his enormous heart.

All the more reason he wanted to clear the air--

“Leorio?”

“Hm?” he replied, taking one of the hunks of meat from a skewer into his mouth. One of his ears tweaked curiously in his direction.

“About what I said before… I was callous. I’m sorry--”

Leorio swallowed the morsel. He then shook his head and cut him off. “Forget it, you don’t gotta apologize for anything. Let’s just forget about all of that ‘n enjoy our time together, alright?” he said, “You and I both know this isn’t exactly the norm, we don’t gotta make excuses.”

Kurapika sighed in defeat. He grabbed an empty plate and began to pile on a couple little handfuls of greens and berries as he spoke. “Regardless, I just want you to know that I’m glad you invited me here,” he went on, “I mean it… from the bottom of my heart.”

Leorio’s ears perked up along with a quirk of his unkempt brows. “H.. Hey now… ~”

His tail whirred back to life, swishing gently in the grass behind him. He bashfully took another bite of his skewer and tossed his gaze into one of the nearby goldenrod blooms. “If you mean it then prove it from the bottom of your stomach instead..!” he asserted. Now it was his turn to gracelessly hide a blush.

The wolf’s telltale wagging was a relief to Kurapika even though he wouldn’t let him get a word in edgewise. He finally felt relaxed enough to truly dig into the expanse before him and resolved to prove to Leorio that he truly meant every word by leaving not a single scrap!

The blonde took a nearby fork into his grasp. The salvaged utensil was missing a couple of tines, but it still served its purpose well enough and lanced his salad leaves with ease. The juicy sweetness of the blackberries married perfectly with the crisp bitter greens in his mouth.

Kurapika, unwittingly, practically purred, much to Leorio’s delight. More hungry than he initially anticipated, he next found himself leaning over and reaching an arm across Leorio’s lap for a chance at one of the venison skewers.

“I knew wolves were skilled hunters but you’re quite the forager as well,” Kurapika remarked.

Leorio laughed and handed him what he was grabbing for. “I think you’ll find I’m chock full of surprises,” he proclaimed proudly, waving his now near-empty stick for emphasis.

“Perhaps next time we could go foraging together.”

Kurapika shut his eyes and took a dainty nibble from his serving while awaiting the other’s answer to his proposal.

The wolf adorably wiggled in his seat at the prospect. His tail was wagging so frantically it nearly practically flogged Kurapika. “Heh, sounds to me like you’ve already got our next date planned! Alright then!” he avidly nodded.

“Whatcha wanna look for? Berries? Mushrooms? Herbs? You want it, I know where to find it. ~”

“I was thinking more berries would be nice. I know a few good spots, but with your added know-how I’ll be able to double my bounty for certain.”

Leorio playfully lanced a few mushrooms with his claws and popped them into his mouth, “What’re you planning to do with ‘em all?” he asked. “Anything I should know about?”

He leaned over and against him expectantly.

Kurapika rolled his eyes and gently shoved him away with his free hand. “It just so happens that mother mentioned wanting to bake a pie,” he recalled, “Though she may also want to make them into jams. Either way, they’re sure to be good.”

The wolf rubbed his paws together in anticipation. His mouth watered the longer he imagined the foodstuffs in his head. “Haahh…” he sighed dreamily.

“Leorioooo ~”

Kurapika reached out and snatched up one of his big fluffy ears, squeezing the appendage between his fingers. “Worry about that later, we’ve still got all of this to eat,” he gingerly reminded him.

“All of that trouble you went through and you’re already onto the next venture?”

“Agghhh I know, I know! But there’s nothing wrong with having something to look forward to,” Leorio whined.

Squeezing then became affectionate scratching.

Kurapika smiled warmly.

“No, you’re right… I’m looking forward to it too,” he admitted.

And so, they continued on that way… Indulging in good food and good company, the human and the wolf grew lost in one another’s enchanting presence. Passionate chatter and laughter resounded with the peaceful forest chorus; the intimate atmosphere grew more and more dense by the hour.

Eventually the duo polished off the main picnic spread, leaving Kurapika’s treat for last.

Leorio could hardly stand it. He was ready to pounce if he was made to wait much longer.

“Oh, shoot…” Kurapika cursed under his breath as he peered into the basket at the pumpkin bread loaf, “I didn’t bring any knives to cut into this with…”

“Who needs knives when we’ve got hands! Or paws! Just rip me off a piece, would ya’?” Leorio suggested, flexing his digits open and closed in a ‘gimme gimme’ gesture.

Kurapika pursed his lips… it wasn’t ideal, but he did just so. He ripped off a sizable chunk and offered it to the larger male--

“Weh heh heh… come to papa!”

\-- … and then threw it into his own mouth instead.

“Hey! What the hell!!” Leorio protested. “Kurapika!”

The blonde wordlessly ripped off another piece as he chewed and held it out to him.

“Yes!”

But… he loved so much to tease his companion and couldn’t resist holding it up above his head out of reach right before Leorio could snatch it.

“Grrrr…! Kurapikaaaa!!”

Just as he was about to tackle the Kurta youth to the ground and take the whole damn loaf for himself out of frustration, he was placated by a sudden bout of giggling. Quickly growing exasperated, his ears folded and his tail curled at his side to signal his dismay.

“Hee hee… I’m kidding. Open up,” Kurapika laughed. “Say ‘ahhh’ ~”

“... … Ahhhhhhh ~”

Leorio opened his mouth wide, bearing his massive fangs to Kurapika as he did so. The other made due on his wordless promise and placed the pumpkin bread into his maw. Like a bear trap the creature’s mouth clamped shut, making quick work of the spiced delight.

What an amusing spectacle, a far cry from their fated first encounter. He remembered before the way Leorio took his time with the gingersnaps, but now? There was no restraining his wild appetite. Kurapika never liked to own up to his sweet tooth, but there was a comfort in knowing there was someone else who enjoyed homemade treats as much as he did.

“So, does it taste as good as it smells?” Kurapika inquired.

“Ahhhhhhh!” Leorio answered him loud and clear by opening his mouth up once more for another serving. The childish action had Kurapika nearly rolling down the aisles, but he composed himself and ripped off a second piece.

“I’ll take that as a yes ~”

 _“I may have to bring more than one loaf next time…”_ Kurapika considered.

In no time at all the pumpkin loaf was all but gone, most of it having been fed to Leorio but honestly, he didn’t mind. If there were ever a warning against feeding the wildlife, at this rate it went entirely over Kurapika’s head. Leorio was entirely his to spoil rotten and… he liked it that way.

He let out a satisfied sigh, thoroughly stuffed, and flopped over backward into the flowers. Round, tawny brown eyes stared off into the vastness of the grey autumn sky above him but was sooner replaced by the wolf’s hulking frame.

“Woo…… ~” Leorio exhaled and rested himself beside the other, “Can’t remember the last time I ate that much.”

“Mmn, neither can I,” Kurapika echoed, rolling over and onto his side. He rested a pale hand along Leorio’s chest, rolling the fabric of his cravat between his index finger and thumb idly.

Leorio laced his paws behind his head. He wanted to say something more, but the look on the blonde’s face read as if he were pondering something. Once again, he was left to stew in his poor fried nerves. Was Kurapika just being polite this whole time? Did he make some kind of faux pas that he was unaware of?

The silence was killing him.

“Leorio…”

“... Y… Yeah?”

“... I… I was thinking…”

The wolf swallowed hard in anticipation. _Here it comes..._

“... You put all of this together just for my sake… because it’s… the ‘proper’ human way… but I want to extend to you the same courtesy,” Kurapika entreated. He sat up by his forearms and stared Leorio dead in his eyes, his expression stern and forthright.

“How do I pay court the way a wolf would?”

Leorio was beside himself. He had determined that he was the one to do the leg work here and yet… he wanted to meet him halfway? Really?

“Please, Leorio…”

Another bout of silence… before he laughed and finally answered with ease, “Heh heh… heh heh heh, honestly it’s embarrassingly simple,” Leorio admitted, “We don’t want for much… if you were just another wolf, I’d just curl up and take a nap right here ‘n now.”

The little human knit his brow… he was… perplexed. Surely it couldn’t be that straightforward. “Take a nap..?” he repeated. “That’s it..?”

“Wolves are pretty physical, we like to be real close and swap scents when we’re interested in one another,” Leorio clarified.

As the other spoke, Kurapika wordlessly climbed on top of the larger male, lying chest to chest and face to face. Leorio snorted through his nose but couldn’t complain. The blonde weighed next to nothing.

“Like this..?”

“Yeah… and sometimes we rub noses and groom each other… or we nibble each other and play, y’know what I mean?”

The Kurta leaned forward, leading the wolf to wonder if he was going to steal another kiss from him like before. He was ready to pucker up when-- 

“B-BUH--?!” Leorio sputtered comically. Instead, the tips of their noses met, shifting into warmhearted nuzzling. A shock, but… a wholly welcome one.

“Like that..?” Kurapika asked and pulled himself away. So casual, almost unceremonious even, as if he had never engaged in the act in the first place. He already missed the cozy, comforting warmth of skin meeting skin.

“Y… Y-Yeah..!” he continued to stammer. He bit his lip and stared at him, utterly dumbfounded by his bold behavior. Every time he thought he had Kurapika pegged, he always left him stupefied without fail.

He really was… an unusual little human… absolutely mesmerizing…

“Hmm, you know, I think I enjoy the way wolves do business,” Kurapika mused atop his handsome lupine perch, bobbing his legs up and down impishly, “There’s no mincing feelings, you’re as straight as a die.”

Leorio removed a paw from behind his head and rested it along the small of Kurapika’s back. “In that case... how about we do things fifty fifty from here on out?” he proposed.

Dainty hands outstretched and cupped the wolf’s scruffy face.

“Mmn, I’d like that very much ~”


End file.
